This is a high-velocity role. You'll build pipeline, develop relationships across the startup ecosystem, work directly with founders and engineering leaders, and close a high volume of net-new partnerships.

You'll also help us build the playbook. Startups are already an important part of Blacksmith's growth, and we're looking for someone who can turn that momentum into a repeatable GTM motion.

What You'll Do

Own the startup ecosystem

• Build and own a territory of high-growth, venture-backed startups.

• Develop deep relationships across the YC ecosystem and broader startup community.

• Identify promising companies early and build relationships before infrastructure decisions are locked in.

• Become a trusted resource for founders and engineering leaders as they think about CI, developer infrastructure, and scaling their engineering organizations.

Build pipeline from the ground up

• Generate your own pipeline through targeted outbound, referrals, events, founder networks, VC relationships, and creative prospecting.

• Use funding, hiring, GitHub activity, engineering growth, product adoption, and other signals to identify startups at the right moment to engage.

• Build relationships with accelerators, investors, founders, and other people who can create leverage across the startup ecosystem.

• Find creative ways to engage great companies rather than relying on high-volume outbound.

Win early and grow with customers

• Work directly with founders, CTOs, engineering leaders, and developers to understand their infrastructure and development workflows.

• Help startups quickly evaluate and adopt Blacksmith.

• Run fast, lightweight sales cycles that match how startups actually buy.

• Identify companies with the potential to become significant Blacksmith customers as they scale.

• Build relationships that can grow from an initial team into company-wide adoption.

Sell a deeply technical product

• Develop a strong understanding of CI/CD, GitHub Actions, cloud infrastructure, developer workflows, and cloud economics.

• Partner with Solutions Engineers when deeper technical discovery or evaluations are required.

• Understand how a startup builds and ships software and identify where Blacksmith can materially improve developer velocity.

• Translate improvements in speed, reliability, and infrastructure cost into a clear value proposition for founders and engineering teams.

Help build our startup GTM motion

• Develop a point of view on how Blacksmith should win the startup market.

• Help shape our YC, accelerator, and venture ecosystem programs.

• Identify patterns across our fastest-growing customers and turn them into repeatable acquisition plays.

• Bring feedback directly from founders and developers to product and engineering.

• Experiment quickly, measure what works, and scale the motions that produce results.

You'll Be a Great Fit If You

• Have 2+ years of quota-carrying sales or partnerships experience , ideally with developer tools, infrastructure, cloud services, or technical SaaS.

• Understand how startups operate and how founders and engineering leaders make buying decisions.

• Are a true hunter who enjoys opening doors, building relationships, and winning new logos.

• Have strong instincts for identifying promising companies and getting involved early.

• Can run a high volume of opportunities without sacrificing follow-through or customer experience.

• Are comfortable selling directly to founders, CTOs, and engineers.

• Are technically curious and willing to understand how the product actually works.

• Move quickly. You don't need a six-step enterprise process to move a motivated customer forward.

• Think creatively about pipeline generation and don't rely solely on sequences and cold outbound.

• Want to build a motion rather than inherit one.

Bonus Points

• You've worked at an early-stage startup yourself.

• You have an existing network across YC, venture-backed startups, founders, or investors.

• You've sold into Seed through Series B companies.

• You've built startup, emerging, or SMB sales motions before.

• You understand GitHub Actions, CI/CD, developer infrastructure, or cloud economics.

• You have experience with product-led or usage-based businesses.

• You're active in the startup community and genuinely enjoy meeting founders and learning what they're building.

• You've built a territory, community, or ecosystem from scratch.

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive base salary and uncapped commission

• Meaningful equity

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance

• 401(k) match

• Unlimited PTO

• Early-exercise stock options

• 12 weeks of fully paid parental leave in the U.S.

• Annual company offsite

A meeting lands on your calendar

If they’re a yes, I book the chat. You show up — that’s the whole job-hunt.